The immortal words of Vince Lombardi – ‘Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing’ – have echoed through NFL locker rooms for generations. In Dillon Gabriel’s Cleveland, a new voice is etching its own creed onto the Dawg Pound’s psyche. Not with grand proclamations, but with a simple, potent Instagram story that landed like a perfectly thrown deep ball.
The scene was pure Berea energy: Gabriel, rocking the new #5 Browns jersey, shorts, and a bucket hat, sharing a fist bump with Carson Schwesinger (#12, ‘AUSTIN’ on his back) on the green turf of the CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Kids buzzed around them, the text overlay blaring “WINNERS WIN… ALL THE TIME” alongside a sweating emoji – a snapshot of effort meeting aspiration.
“WINNERS WIN.” That was rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel’s resounding two-word message, plastered over a Browns post showing him and Carson Schwesinger hyping up kids at their youth football camp. It wasn’t just a caption; it felt like a declaration stamped onto the Lake Erie breeze.
The Browns captioned it, “Dillon and Carson’s gameplan was getting RESULTS,” complete with laughing and football emojis. For Gabriel, fresh off signing his rookie deal on June 4, 2025, as Cleveland’s third-round pick, this wasn’t just community service. It was his first audible in orange and brown, broadcasting his core belief system before even taking a regular-season snap.
Gabriel wasn’t just present. He was commanding. Mic’d up, he coached a young QB with veteran clarity. “Drop back. Drop back. Find him on the first play… Everyone! Do what you do. Go live. Just ball out, bro. Ballers ball. Let’s go,” the QB hyped. In fact, he finished the huddle with a booming, “On me on 1, 2, 3… GOATED!” This wasn’t a rookie going through motions; it was leadership in its rawest, most infectious form – a glimpse of the poise that made him the NCAA’s all-time leader in total touchdowns (189) and second in passing yards (18,722).
However, this wasn’t the first time Dillon Gabriel had worked for the kids. Last year on “Giving Tuesday,” December 3, he teamed up with Unitus Community Credit Union and gave $2,500 to Kidsports in Eugene, Oregon. Kidsports helps break down the walls so every kid gets a shot to play. Dillon gets it. He’s been living that dream since he was seven, holding a football and chasing something bigger. That’s why he tells young quarterbacks: “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, learn from them.” After all, that’s how dreams are built. But this time, his dreams might take a back seat.
QB roulette in Berea: Gabriel, Sanders, and the four-headed dilemma
Meanwhile, in the war room… Head Coach Kevin Stefanski and GM Andrew Berry were orchestrating a high-stakes quarterback shuffle that felt less like a depth chart and more like a scene from ‘The League’ trying to manage a fantasy roster disaster. With Deshaun Watson’s Achilles rehab timeline murky, whispers swirled about the Browns carrying four QBs:
Veteran stalwarts Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, plus rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel. As Mike Florio aptly framed the potential chaos, “It’s entirely possible the Browns are putting out the notion… to create some/any trade leverage.” Translation: Someone’s likely getting traded, and the smart money, per Florio, is on Pickett. Yet, Stefanski publicly insists the team believes it can “find a way” to keep all four, even if it means robbing Peter (a backup lineman) to pay Paul (a fourth QB).
So, where does that leave Gabriel? Just days before hyping kids, he was navigating the crucible of minicamp. Day 1 was reportedly rocky, but Stefanski saw beyond the stat sheet: “He’s got really great ability to ball-handle. To put the ball out on a play-action when it looks like a run, pull it back, and throw the pass. There’s a lot of skill to that.”
Syndication: Akron Beacon Journal Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders 12 watches quarterback Dillon Gabriel 5 during day two of NFL rookie minicamp at the Cleveland Browns training facility on Saturday, May 10, 2025, in Berea, Ohio. Akron , EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJeffxLangex USATSI_26143965
But make no mistake: The battle is real. Gabriel’s minicamp rebound was impressive (48/83, 8 TDs, 0 INTs in open practices), showcasing the anticipation and pinpoint accuracy that shredded defenses at Oregon. Yet, Sanders flashed his own elite potential, reportedly leading all QBs in completion percentage (77.4%) and touchdowns (9). Both are viewed as roster locks by insiders like Mary Kay Cabot.
As Berry cautiously stated, “Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely… If they all play well enough.” That “if” hangs heavy over Berea. Gabriel’s “WINNERS WIN” ethos isn’t just a feel-good slogan; it’s the fuel for the grueling competition ahead. Every rep, from teaching fourth-graders the play-action Stefanski praised, to dueling Sanders in August practices, is an audition. The preseason curtain rises August 8th vs. Carolina.
The Dawg Pound watches, wondering if Gabriel’s two-word manifesto will define merely his mindset, or ultimately, his role in Cleveland’s high-stakes QB saga. One thing’s certain: In a league where pressure turns coal into diamonds, Gabriel’s already broadcasting his intention to shine. Winners win, indeed. Now, Cleveland waits to see if their new rookie QB can make those words echo on Sundays.
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